Normal, Or Something Like It
by emmylouuwho
Summary: Post 5.06. The ARC is back to normal, or at least their own weird version of it. Becker takes a step forward.


Becker slowly trudged back to Ops, bone weary. At least the alert they'd just come from had been fairly simple. Routine. _When did time travel and dinosaurs become routine?_ But he'd take the ARC's version of normalcy over the chaotic convergence of anomalies any day.

And they _had_ gotten back to normal. Abby and Connor were back to alternating between playful bickering and long, soulful looks. Emily was insubordinate and annoyingly helpful. Matt was a bit quiet, even by Matt's standards. Becker supposed he was still coming to terms with the events of the day. With the fact that the goal toward which he'd been working for a huge chunk of his life was suddenly accomplished. Knowing for years that the world was going to end, and that you were expected to prevent it, must have been difficult enough. And then, all at once, everything works out, the world is saved, cue the parade. It was enough to mess with anyone's head. Although it wasn't enough to do more to Matt than make him slightly more aloof and enigmatic than usual.

Lester was looking disgruntled as ever as Becker walked past the glass walls of his office. He was glaring at the phone on his desk and speaking, no doubt verbally eviscerating the poor soul on the other end of the speakerphone. The only concessions the man had made to his injury were the cane, given to him by the medical staff, resting against the desk; and the fact that he was still in his shirtsleeves, one side of his braces hanging loosely at his side.

Becker looked beyond Lester's office to the ADD in the center of the room. And there, sitting before the bank of computer screens, typing away as usual, was Jess. Jess, who had, not two hours before, pointed an EMD at him with shaking hands, her blue eyes haunted and fearful. Now the only sign of her earlier ordeal was the beginning of faint circles beneath her eyes.

Like the rest of the team, it seemed that Jess had learned the art of compartmentalization. _Before long, she'll be as jaded as the rest of us_, he thought, dreading that day. The day when her optimism, her brilliance, dulled under the constant onslaught of the violence and death they saw far too often.

Becker plugged his black box into the charger on Jess' desk. She glanced over with a smile before turning back to the screens in front of her with a frown.

"No one is going to believe this," she said.

"Believe what?"

"All these cover stories," she said, spinning in her chair to face him. "People saw what happened."

"People believe what they want to believe. Most people who didn't actually see it already think it was a hoax."

Disbelief was etched clearly across her face. "And the people who were there? They've got to know the truth, surely."

"Which is easier to accept - that dinosaurs inexplicably showed up throughout London, or that" - he squinted at one of the screens- "a gas leak caused people to hallucinate? It's easy for people to understand the cover story, it fits into their idea of the world. And it makes more sense than dinosaurs. Especially once you erase all traces of the footage from the internet."

"You are a very cynical person, you know that?" she said, a grin pulling at the corners of her mouth.

Becker shrugged one shoulder. Jess considered him for a few moments, then turned again, shaking her head. She stretched, stifling a yawn against her fist.

"Why don't you head home?" Becker asked. "Lester can't expect you to stay all night. After all, you did save his life. All this will be here in the morning," he added, gesturing to the screens and the stack of folders on her desk, opposite the rows of black boxes.

"Exactly," she said, glaring at it all. "It'll still be here. Waiting." She said the word as if the paperwork were a living thing, crouched in a corner, ready to spring.

"Goodnight Jess."

Becker smiled and turned away. _Coward._ He heaved a sigh as he walked away. _I need a drink._ He had only taken a few steps when he stopped. Turning back, Becker caught Jess watching him. She flushed. And then he just thought, _The world almost ended today..._

"Do you want to get a drink with me?" he asked, taking the three steps back to stand next to her desk.

The words were out before he knew it. It was easier than he had expected. Perhaps because she was smiling up at him, her cheeks still flushed pink.

"Sure," she replied, flashing him one of her megawatt smiles.

"Jess!" Lester's voice sounded through the room.

She rolled her eyes, and said, "Give me ten minutes?"

He nodded, pointing toward the break room at the other end of Ops, indicating he'd wait for her there.

* * *

><p>Despite her exhaustion - or perhaps because of it, at least in part - Jess felt giddy as she walked to the break room. They had literally saved the world today. And Jess herself had saved Lester's life.<p>

Jess wondered idly what would become of the private part of the ARC, the part owned by Prospero, now that Burton was dead, and their building swallowed in a giant anomaly. But that was a question for another day.

Walking into the break room, she found Becker slumped on the worn leather couch against the wall, head tipped back, one arm draped across the back of the couch. He was fast asleep. Jess smiled at the sight. Clearly, their drink would have to wait.

Suddenly the events of the past few days caught up with her, and Jess thought that Becker had the right idea. She felt like she could sleep for a week. She sat down heavily on the couch next to him. _I never want to move again. _A weary sigh escaped her lips, and her eyes slid closed.

* * *

><p>That was how Abby found them an hour later when she came to see if Jess was planning to drive home with them. They were both fast asleep. Jess with her feet tucked up under her, and Becker slouched down, head back. His arm had moved from the couch back to Jess' thin shoulders, and her head rested against his shoulder. <em>Good thing Connor's in the car<em>, Abby thought with a smile. _He'd want to take a picture, use it as blackmail._ She stood there a moment, considering, then pulled out her camera phone.


End file.
